Ozark Trail coolers have similar features to the Yeti Hopper Flip coolers with thick insulation, a waterproof zipper and shoulder strap. They don’t keep ice quite as long as the Yeti but still hold ice for about 2 days. However, the build quality and durability is not comparable to Yeti and Ozark Trail coolers come with no warranty. Several weeks ago we finally purchased an Ozark Trail 52-Quart High-Performance Cooler from Walmart.
Being a premium cooler, you’d expect the 12 can model to cost a lot more than $50 but it doesn’t. Unlike their hard-sided collection, the soft Ozark Trail line is surprisingly richer. Indeed, the brand seems to focus slightly more on their soft cooler collection since it is truly where it makes most ozark trail cooler sells. To be entirely honest, while Ozark tries, the ice retention isn’t quite on the same level as what you get with a Yeti. Here it’s really a battle of reputations, though, because, for the price, Ozark is a solid choice. So imagine our joy when we stumbled upon this little gem of a brand.
If getting a great cooler at a great price means making some sacrifices, like not having it made locally, we know there are people who are willing to pay that price. One of the best selling points (pun intended) of Ozark Trail Coolers is their great asking price. You will find that nearly every model is extremely affordable. With a hard plastic latch, you run the risk of brushing by the cooler and hitting your shin, which I have done and is awful. One of my favorite features though is the rubber wheels vs. the hard plastic wheels on the Pelican and Yeti. Not only will the rubber allow for a slightly smoother roll when you are pull this cooler along, but it will also be quieter.
Ozark Trail’s medium and large hard-sided coolers are equipped with an interior wire basket to help organize your food. Ice life refers to how long a cooler can retain the ice you place inside. Ozark Trail’s larger soft-sided coolers usually offer a maximum of one to one-and-a-half days of ice life, which is plenty for a picnic. Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers are all designed to have multiple storage options.
For a more on-the-go option, the $88.00 Ozark Trail 26-quart high-performance cooler offers the perfect size and capacity. The heavy-duty, one-piece construction and ozark trail chair blend of polyurethane insulation keeps ice frozen for days. This cooler is also made for easy carrying, featuring a stainless steel handle with a comfort grip.
Unfortunately, the deal breaker is that it intermittently leaked water from the drain spout. Prior to purchasing the cooler I had read several reviews that said this cooler collects condensation around the drain spout. I didn’t think much of the comments until I saw the amount of water leaking from my cooler. We tightened the spout and it leaked three more times over two days, so the cooler went back to Walmart.
The most affordable models, the non-premium soft-sided coolers, come in a very safe, solid color. There may be some subtle grays or white pieces of fabric but, for the most part, the primary color will dominate. Smaller Ozark Trail soft-sided coolers have padded shoulder straps for comfortable carrying. Larger models often have wheels on the bottom and a telescoping handle, so you can easily pull the cooler to transport it. Ozark Trail also offers backpack and tote soft-sided coolers, which allow for hands-free carrying. Ozark Trail hard-sided coolers are constructed of hard, sturdy plastic that locks in cold to protect your food and drinks.
Whether or not these fit and finish issues haunt you almost seems like luck of the draw. To achieve the extremely attractive price point that they did, Ozark Trail likely had to sacrifice a few things in the quality department. The result is a cooler that doesn’t have quite the level of fit and finish as, say, a Yeti or an Engel. To ozark trail cooler start with, you will find an oversized drain that makes short work of any melted ice that is inside. The threaded drain can easily be removed and will be held in place thanks to the mounted chain it is on. And to maximize how much squeeze the gasket produces, having strong latches that provide a lot of clamping force is necessary.
Various wholesalers offer a variety of AC units suitable for all customer needs. Indeed, hard-sided Ozark Trail coolers are all roto-molded which means that they are fully built to perfection without any human contact. Indeed, these coolers are primarily constructed via dedicated machines that make sure everything is precisely where it belongs. In the beginning, it was hard to believe that a Walmart brand can beat all expectations until we tested it ourselves. Our subject was the 52 quart, which is the best-seller in this line of coolers and one which pulled some impressive reviews online.